Another Terrorist Victim Stabbed To Death

Amir Simchon, 24, a Civil Guard volunteer, was murdered last night in a terrorist stabbing attack in Jaffa. In the past five weeks, ten Israelis have been killed in ten separate Palestinian attacks.

First Publish: 7/15/2003, 11:47 AM

Amir Simchon, 24, a Civil Guard volunteer, was murdered last night in a terrorist stabbing attack in Jaffa. His mother asked with anguish, "What type of peace is this? They are killing us little by little." In the past five weeks, ten Israelis have been killed in ten separate Palestinian attacks.

The attack began when a Palestinian terrorist attempted to enter the Tarabin Restaurant near the Clock Square. The guard there, however, prevented him from entering, but was "moderately" wounded in the process. The terrorist then began running north towards the Tel Aviv Promenade, stabbing people in the process and murdering Simchon. Two citizens ran after him and shot him, and he was caught. His interrogation revealed that he is a resident of eastern Jerusalem, a member of Fatah, and was driven to Jaffa by a terrorist from Jericho - for whom the search is on.

Amir Simchon, who lived in Bat Yam just south of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, was killed while protecting his girlfriend from the stabber. She was taken to the hospital, but was found to be unhurt. Amir's cousin Kobi Zaharon was murdered at the age of 13 in the Dizengoff Center terrorist bombing of seven years ago. Amir Simchon, who was buried this evening in Holon, is survived by his parents, Moshe and Herzliya, and by three brothers and two sisters. "For three years he served in the territories," Amir's father said, "and in the end he gets killed on the promenade."

The intelligence services have some 20 warnings of terrorist attacks. A terrorist cell planning to carry out an imminent attack was captured last night; this was the cell that perpetrated a suicide attack in southern Tel Aviv last year in which three people were seriously wounded. IDF forces last night discovered a pipebomb in Hevron and an explosives lab and vests in Shechem.